Effect of a Tooth-brushing Education Program on Oral Health of Preschool Children.
10.4040/jkan.2008.38.6.914
- Author:
Bok Hee KANG
1
;
Sun Nam PARK
;
Kyeong Yae SOHNG
;
Jung Soon MOON
Author Information
1. Severance Hospital, Yonsei University Health System, Seoul, Korea.
- Publication Type:Original Article ; English Abstract ; Comparative Study
- Keywords:
Tooth-brushing;
Preschool children;
Oral health
- MeSH:
Child, Preschool;
DMF Index;
Dental Caries/prevention & control;
Dental Plaque/prevention & control;
Female;
*Health Education, Dental;
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice;
Humans;
Male;
*Oral Health;
Oral Hygiene;
Toothbrushing/*utilization
- From:Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
2008;38(6):914-922
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: To examine the effect of tooth-brushing education on the oral health of preschoolers. METHODS: A quasi-experimental design with a non-equivalent control group was used. Two kindergartens were selected and 39 preschoolers from one kindergarten were assigned to the experimental group with tooth-brushing education and 39 from the other kindergarten to the control group. The tooth-brushing education program included 1 session on oral health education, individual tooth-brushing instruction for 1 week and supervised tooth-brushing after lunch for 4 weeks. Oral health behavior including use of tooth paste, tooth-brushing time and method of tooth-brushing, plague, streptococcus mutans, lactobacillus and dental caries were measured before and after the education. Fisher's exact test, t-test and paired t-test with the Window SAS 9.1 program were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: A significant increase in the use of tooth paste, tooth-brushing time and the practice of correct tooth-brushing and a decrease in plague and development of dental caries were observed in the experimental group. CONCLUSION: This tooth-brushing education was partially effective in improving oral health of preschoolers.